8 Tricks to Make Tailgating Convenient and Affordable

Autumn is the time where leaves begin to fall, temperatures turn chilly, and most importantly, football kicks off! Who doesn’t love a good tailgating party and hanging out with close friends? Just make sure you are making it easier on yourself so you can enjoy the party too! Here are some tips to make tailgating prep easier so you can enjoy your company rather than worrying about coordinating the minutia.

You can never have enough ice packs for a cooler so this tip is handy! Freeze a few water bottles and throw them in your cooler the day of to not only keep your beers and drinks ice cold, but so you’ll have extra drinks to drink once they’ve melted!

Pick up a cheap 7-day pill container for spices. Where you would normally have “each day” labeled you can substitute it for the title of the spice you are bringing. It saves on space and keeps things neat and orderly.

Bring a metal hanger to hang your grilling tongs on. The tongs get messy and no one needs a huge mess to clean up! This way you can simultaneously have your tongs out of the way but also within easy reach.

Use old soup cans as a silverware caddy! You can bring a couple cans and store unused disposable silverware in one can and dirty silverware in another. This will save on trying to collect trash later on. And if you’re feeling adventurous paint them the team color you’re rooting for!

Attach a balloon or two to your car so that your friends can distinguish you from the other tailgaters! Let them know ahead of time what color balloons to be on the lookout for!

Don’t be a procrastinator! I know it is tempting to think you can just throw everything in bags and a cooler and be off to the party, but it is better to be safe than sorry! Make sure you cut up all the burger toppings the night before, organize the condiments, and also marinate any meats you need to marinate so that they are grill ready the next day! Make a detailed list so you don’t end up forgetting to bring anything.

Line your charcoal grill with foil for an easy clean-up. Plus, you won’t have to wait for the coals to cool off in order to dispose of them! You don’t want to miss that kick-off!

Finally, LABEL, LABEL, LABEL! How annoying is it to open a cooler only to find hamburger toppings when you just wanted a cold beverage? Make sure you have labeled each cooler for not only you, but your guests. It will save you time and frustration.

Planning may not be fun for you, but being prepared is much less stressful than showing up having forgotten to bring certain items! Do the hard work beforehand and you can enjoy the fruits of your labor the day of.

Do you have any other tips you would recommend in order plan a successful tailgating party?